


Alive

by Mimsys



Category: Raven Cycle - Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: F/M, Gen, Longing, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-05
Updated: 2016-03-05
Packaged: 2018-05-24 18:49:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,420
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6163117
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mimsys/pseuds/Mimsys
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set vaguely in the gaps between the Dream Thieves and Blue Lily, Lily Blue, this fic portrays moments in time shared between Noah and Blue.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Alive

Noah felt so much more _alive_ around Blue and it wasn’t just because of the fact that he could pull from her energy, although that certainly helped. Even before his body was moved from the ley lines and his ability to manifest fluctuated wildly, Blue had always made him feel more stable, grounded. He always squeezed in next to her in the backseat of the Pig and stroked her hair gently when he was feeling unsettled or disjointed. Like Adam, she grew up working for everything she had; also like Adam, she refused to let the Raven Boys swoop in with their family money to fix her problems. When Gansey and Ronan went wandering through the woods (dangerous woods, he’d wanted to warn them), it was an adventure. For Blue, it was a sacrifice. She knew that this was taking time away from her jobs and her family, and she decided that it was worth it. Noah liked that. He’d admired it on Adam, but he _loved_ it on Blue.

She was sleeping now, sprawled across a ratty couch that overlooked Gansey’s homemade Henrietta, and Noah watched the gentle rise and fall of her chest with unexpected longing. He wanted to reach out and run his hands through her hair again, to comfort her each time she shifted restlessly. But she was here for Gansey, let in by Ronan to wait for the other to come home. She wasn’t Adam’s anymore, a fact which gave him painfully freeing hope), but she was Gansey’s. They were _soul mates_ , destined.

And he was dead.

Still, he crept closer when her forehead creased in worry, soft whines slipping from slightly parted lips. She was wearing a handwoven bright orange sweater that slipped down one shoulder and showed more skin than she’d probably meant for it to; there was a bright green tank top beneath the sweater and the clashing colors should have made him turn in away to spare his eyes, but he just smiled fondly as he settled on his knees beside the couch, resting a hand lightly on hers, smoothing out the tension in the clenched fist. “Blue.” He murmured softly, “I’ve got you, alright? You’re safe.” The tension bleed out of her tight expression and Noah leaned forward, brushing his lips to her forehead. “There we go.”

Blue’s long lashes fluttered against her cheeks and Noah rocked back on his heels, putting some space between them as he decided if he would stay or go. Even with Adam strengthening Cabeswater as best he could, it was still sometimes hard for Noah to keep his form for long, especially if he was doing anything physical. Besides, being this close to Blue as she stirred and stretched and let out her sleepy little mews.. no, it wasn’t wise. He leaned forward to brush another kiss to her forehead and then he was gone.

When Blue opened her eyes a moment later, blinking around curiously, there was a faint chill in the room that betrayed Noah’s presence just moments before. “Noah?” She asked cautiously, sitting up as the blanket that had been draped over her slid into her lap. “Is everything okay? Is Gansey back?” There was only silence in reply, silence accompanied by a slight drop in temperature at the mention of her soul mate’s name.

Ronan opened the door to his room, Chainsaw on his shoulder. “Gansey should be back any minute.” He was wearing a pair of baggy black sweatpants and nothing else so Blue took the time to admire the striking (if convoluted) tattoo. “Didn’t know Noah was here, though.”

“Maybe he wasn’t.” Blue sighed, pulling the blanket back around her. “I just… I thought he was.”

\--

When Gansey got home, Blue was sitting up on the couch and twirling a cheap copper ring around with a piece of string that may have come from her sweater, given the shocking orange of it. She glanced up as the door opened and then stumbled to her feet, slipping the ring onto her finger, string trailing as she reached up to pull Gansey into a hug. “You’ve been gone for hours.” She scolded, brow furrowing slightly. “You were gone so long I talked to _Ronan_.” 

“-I heard that!” Came the call from inside Ronan’s room, and Blue smirked slightly as she glanced over at the other’s door.

“You were supposed to!” She called back sweetly and then focused her attention back on Gansey. “Have you seen Noah lately? He’s been acting kind of odd.” Something ruffled the dangling string, sending it swirling between them on an invisible air current; it might have been the gust of air from Gansey shutting the door behind him with his hip, but Blue didn’t think so. “He keeps disappearing whenever I’m about to look at him or speak to him. Do you think he’s mad at me?”

There was a muffled crash as one of the cardboard buildings of Gansey’s Henrietta toppled over and the brunet snorted despite himself, pushing his wire rimmed glasses up the bridge of his nose. “No, Jane, I don’t think he’s mad at you.” He strolled over to the mint plant on his desk, plucked a leaf, and slipped it onto his tongue. “I just think he’s a guy, and guys don’t know how to communicate.” He brushed his thumb to his lower lip and then dropped it, forcing a casual stance that Blue didn’t entirely believe. “Are you ready for calculus or not?”

Hours later, Blue dozed as she was driven home, a backpack resting in her lap. She hadn’t thought about Noah since Gansey had begun to speak _math_ at her, and she was too tired to do so now. Still, she smiled faintly to herself when a cold breeze filtered into the car, wondering if it was natural or not. 

\--

The next time Blue went to Monmouth, she brought a deck of tarot cards. It was the standard Rider Waite Smith deck, cleansed by her mother, Calla, and Persephone but otherwise unremarkable. “Why won’t you talk to me, Noah?” She sighed as she collapsed onto the couch, drawing a card and laying it down on her stomach. _The Wheel of Fortune_. The winged beasts on the card reminded her suddenly of the creatures Ronan brought back from his nightmares but she ignored it. “Destiny? Noah, that doesn’t make any sense at all.”

Noah materialized at the foot of the couch, glancing down at the cards. “It’s not like I picked it.” He replied defensively, wondering how Blue had managed to remain so ignorant of the conflict warring in his chest. When Blue had been dating Adam, it had been easier; she’d been taken, and he also didn’t have to be jealous of her _soul mate_ getting her. Now, she was wasn’t dating Gansey, not really, but she was still taken in every way that mattered. “You’re the one who says you don’t have talent for that sort of stuff.” Hurt flashed in her gaze and Noah stepped forward, an apology dying on his lips when she scooped up the cards and shoved them angrily into her backpack. “Hey, Blue, I’m sorry.”

“I’ve been teaching Adam to read the cards. Figured he should know the real meanings in case Cabeswater ever stops showing him what it wants. But thank you, Noah, for reminding me how _useless_ I am.”

“You’re not useless.” Noah protested, reaching for the cards. “I was just…”

“Just what?” She asked sharply, raising her eyes to his. “You _finally_ show up to talk to me, and you insult me.” Blue slumped back against the couch and Noah crawled onto it, reaching out to wrap his arms around her; despite her snapping, she leaned into the faint touch and didn’t protest as his hands began to card gently through her hair. “I missed you.” She murmured softly a moment later, bowing her head to rest it against his shoulder. “You scared me when you left like that.”

“I missed you too.” His voice cracked softly as he settled against her, feeling her shift so that they could slot together better. “I won’t stay away anymore.”

“You better not.” Blue replied, giving him a small, worried smile. “I don’t know what I’d do without you, Noah. Who else will keep the boys in line?”

He laughed, snuggling up against her side. “I’m sure you’ll find a way. You’re stronger than you think.”

“Maybe.” Blue admitted and then paused, “But I’d rather give you a reason to stay.”

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave kudos/comments if you liked it!


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